2011 – The Year To Be “Well-thy”

Of the top 10 most common New Year’s Resolutions, five deal with either losing weight or quitting bad habits to live a healthier, happier life.

In 2011, people will not only look to be “well-thy,” many are also starting to view good health as a status symbol. For them, maintaining good health is as important to some consumers as having the biggest, newest or most expensive “It” item.

We see this trend growing through the addition of healthier food items at fast food restaurants and the increasing popularity of fitness-focused products such as Sketchers Shape-Ups. Vending machines with healthy options in schools, walking routes laid out in office buildings for employees, and organic grocery stores are just the beginning of people’s desires to lead “well-thier” lives.

Whether it is a New Year’s resolution or an adoption of the changing 2011 consumer environment – losing weight and living a healthier lifestyle will be the “It” thing on many people’s To Do list. A study byThe Hartman Group found 73% of US consumers consider being physically fit important to being ‘well.’ The study also cited that 74% of consumers believe that being physically fit is equally important in ‘feeling good about themselves’.

Healthcare service providers can take advantage of this trend by understanding that “healthy” is the new “happy” and that consumers are now viewing good health as ‘status’ and are assigning that extra value to it. So let’s raise our glasses on New Year’s Eve and give three cheers to a “well-thier” us!